MAYVILLE — Chautauqua County resident Grace Hanlon on Monday announced her candidacy for justice in the New York State Supreme Court Eighth Judicial District.

A confidential law clerk to Chautauqua County Court Judge David Foley, Hanlon previously ran for the post on the state Supreme Court in 2016.

Hanlon has been a practicing attorney for 31 years. She has served her community as a former first assistant Chautauqua County district attorney and as a former assistant public defender.

She also worked in private practice as a partner and past associate at Fessenden, Laumer and DeAngelo specializing in real property, matrimonial/family law, criminal defense, union representation and civil litigation.

Due to her experience, work-ethic, and character she has been rated “Highly Qualified” for the bench by numerous bar associations. She is the recipient of an Outstanding Woman in Law Award by the Eighth Judicial District Gender and Racial Fairness Committee and supported by Stonewall Democrats. In December 2018, she was appointed to the Richard C. Failla LGBTQ Commission.

Hanlon, the youngest of 10 siblings, received her B.A. from the University of Buffalo (where she also captained the women’s softball team). She received her law degree from Pace Law School before firmly setting down roots in Chautauqua County.

As a proud Western New York resident, Hanlon believes that it is vitally important to have experienced, insightful, resident judges serving their respective communities. “When a dispute arises that requires the insight of a local practitioner, who better to resolve that dispute than someone who lives and is invested in the community?”

“A Chautauqua County Supreme Court judge has been a missing piece from our community for sometime,” Hanlon said. “Our community would be well-served with its own Supreme Court judge.” Her election to the Eighth Judicial District Supreme Court bench would insure that all constituent counties in the Eighth District would have access to impartial and thoughtful due process.”